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I had this book growing up and it was very informational, but not overwhelming. It touches on periods, but also growing boobs, pubic/underarm hair, peer pressure, etc. http://www.amazon.com/Care-Keeping-American-Girl-Library/dp/1562476661 Also, I had always heard your first period "starts slow" and then gets heavier, so a brownish discharge for a day or two, then red blood. When I got mine, I was gushing red from the first moment. I don't think what color her blood was really matters. I've certainly had near-black discharge before, so it doesn't seem unreasonable to assume that it's abnormal just because it's her first time.
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Dec 13, 2011 22:54
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Kat Delacour posted:The white tablets, you mean you missed the placebos only? If you have missed 2 days of your placebos you can play marbles with the missed pills for all it matters, just pick up at the next appropriate day to keep your habit. If you have missed 2 active pills then refer to the instructions - usually they advise that you stop taking pills until you have your period, when it starts go onto a new packet like a new user and, of course, use alternative contraception until you're 1/2 weeks into the new pack. I have never seen a packet that said to stop your pills if you miss two. If you miss two, take two pills for two days to catch up, then keep going. If you miss 3, you immediately toss the pack and start a new one, using a back up for a week. Uberwekkness, do you know when you missed the two pills? If you do not, the damage is probably already done and you should start your new pack on the day you're supposed to. If you missed two placebos, same thing, just keep going like normal, as you don't have to take those. Otherwise, it's kind of hard to say what you should do, especially if you don't remember when you missed. I guess use a back up for a week to be safe..?
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Dec 14, 2011 19:41
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uberwekkness posted:That's the tricky thing. I've been so frazzled that I don't know when I missed them. I doubt it's consecutive, anyway. Oh well. I only have the one last placebo, and my period is tapering off, so I'll just start my new pack today and use condoms for the next week or so. Should that do the trick? Or should I use them longer than that? Missing one pill doesn't usually require a back up, and if you really think they were not consecutively missed, you're probably fine not to use a back up in that case. Because it's after the fact, the damage is done and the 'threat' has likely passed. Especially since you've just finished your placebo week. If it'll make you feel safer or whatever, a week is fine, but more than that is probably not necessary.
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Dec 15, 2011 19:53
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I also tried Implanon, but got it taken out after two years because I kept spotting. At first it didn't bug me, but I started have off days less and less. I posted a bunch about it, so you can check my previous posts if you're interested. Insertion and removal is very easy, doesn't hurt, but your arm is pretty sore for 2-4 days afterward. They put it in your non-dominant arm so it's not usually a problem. uberwekkness posted:Contact lenses don't potentially completely gently caress up your reproductive system though. ;/ That's the source of my concern, anyway. Yes, but they potentially gently caress up your sight. Not trying to worry you, just pointing out anything you put in your body is (probably) potentially harmful.
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Dec 23, 2011 20:28
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I was on the patch for over a year and it worked great for me. To keep your skin from getting weird, you can cycle not only the side of your body you stick it on, but also the site. There are four places iirc that you can stick it. Baby oil can help get the extra glue off. As long as you are not at risk for blood clots, the increased chance of getting them does not really affect you as the percentages are still very small. If you smoke tobacco or are overweight, the patch is not for you. I only switched off it because everyone was raving about the ring and I wanted to try it too. Plus, I was getting kind of tired of performing site maintenance, so it was about time for a change anyway.
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Jan 2, 2012 03:30
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lou reed posted:The doctor said my scan was totally normal except for a grape-size cyst on my left ovary. Firstly, I want to make very plain that I have no experience with cysts. That being said, a grape-sized cyst doesn't sound "little" to me. That sounds huge. My questions for you are these: Did the doctor say that the Paragard caused the cyst? If so, why have you not gotten cysts before now? Or have you? Also, why would you have to go through all this again in a month? Are you expecting another cyst to develop? I'm sorry I don't have any advice for you as I don't really know anything about cysts, but those things popped out at me.
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Jan 11, 2012 19:59
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Usually it takes one cycle to fix any weirdness caused by taking the morning after pill. How much or how long you bleed as a side effect varies from person to person. When I took it, for example, I had no side effects other than nausea.
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Jan 14, 2012 00:57
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In addition to what's been said, I also want to add he should practice putting condoms on. Do it when you're alone so you can play around a little and figure it out.
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Jan 31, 2012 06:16
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Shnooks posted:I guess I'm unsure if I could really get side effects under a month of use from birth control. Everything NaturalLow said is spot on. Something else to keep in mind that "they" don't tell you is going on a type of birth control you've been on previously will not yield the same side effects as the first time you were on it. Once you go off a type, if you want to go on it again, you have to treat it like a new type you've never been on before (not knowing side effects, and waiting 3 months or so for them to even out).
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Feb 10, 2012 03:41
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Budget Bears posted:So, right now I'm on the shot. I was off birth control for a while but then I decided to go back on because having sex with condoms is really painful for me. (I don't know what my deal is, but even lubricated condoms chafe the hell out of me and leave me with a really bad stinging sensation after sex). In addition to what's been said, are you using lube? Even lubricated condoms don't come with the amount of lube you should be using when using condoms. Assuming you both have been tested and verified clean of STIs, it is probably better for you to try to convince the bf that it's okay to not use them.
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Feb 14, 2012 03:41
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Ceridwen posted:I've got a doctor's appointment for a pap smear and (oddly enough) to discuss when I want to get my IUD out scheduled for next Thursday. Now I'm not sure if I want to try to get an earlier appointment to try to figure out what is going on with the IUD ASAP or if I should wait it out a bit and see what course this bleeding takes (maybe it's just stronger spotting than I'm used to?). Call your doctor tomorrow and ask what s/he thinks you should do. My biggest concern is that it seems really heavy, plus you've not had a period in all that time. It would worry me, I guess I'll put it that way.
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Feb 17, 2012 08:03
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Tasty_Crayon posted:The thing is, I'm scared to try another birth control when the patch has always worked so well for me. Suck it up and try something new? If you've lost your sex drive, it hasn't worked as well as you're letting yourself believe. Yes, absolutely suck it up and something else. You will not magically find the perfect birth control for you on your first try. It took me over nine to get it right. But don't let that scare you; if a type doesn't work, switching off is really easy, and the side effects go away. It's all temporary. Talk to your doctor and tell them what you've been experiencing, and let them help you choose a new pill/method.
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Mar 17, 2012 01:22
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samizdat posted:Is this normal? I've never gotten pregnant, but I thought you weren't supposed to go through normal PMS stuff before your placebo pills/week off. However, I can always tell when my period is clearly going to be next week because of my agitation and depression. Something to keep in mind is that birth control is meant to control/regulate your hormone levels and prevent ovulation. It was not designed to change your PMS.* Often, women experience a lessening of these symptoms, or experience a change in their normal discharge (but not always). What it most often forgotten is that these are positive side effects. Meaning they are still side effects; we just tend to want them, rather than avoid them. "Side effects" when used in discussion is usually referring to those negative ones we want to avoid. But there are many positive ones that are taken for granted sometimes. *I guess one of the exceptions to this would be Yaz, which was specifically created to control PMDD, a different, but also menstrual-cycle-related disorder. What this means is that if PMS is something you want to reduce or eliminate, you need to swap pills. But these things you are experiencing are completely normal, yes.
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Mar 21, 2012 04:29
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Implanon is effective immediately as long as you were on bc before. There is no real reason for you to take your pills any more. Also, the first week(-ish) feels very weird. Not only is your body recovering from the implant being put in, you get a boost of hormones to deal with. I don't really know how else to describe it, it felt very weird. Not bad, just different and strange. Also, do not be alarmed if you begin to cry randomly, I know a few of us in the thread experienced that. Good luck! I enjoyed mine while I had it, and a few in here are on their second one.
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Mar 30, 2012 17:27
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fork bomb posted:I felt weird the day after getting my first Implanon- a general malaise and a sore arm. Felt fine after that, aside from the physical pain from having a hell of bruised up arm. I think you'd be fine to start working out again as soon as that that heals up enough so that it doesn't hurt to move it around. This. I waited two weeks to be on the safe side, but it really just depends how your arms feels. I remember forgetting I had it too. Even though I had mostly forgotten it, when I got it taken out, I missed it for months. I kept going to poke it and just wasn't there. Or I'd twist my arm and that slight tug didn't happen. It's fine now of course, but it's weird how the body adapts to things.
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Mar 30, 2012 18:43
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fork bomb posted:Was this something that happened the entire time you had it in or just at the beginning? I'm on my second Implanon now and I can't feel it at all from just moving my arm around. The whole time. Mine was pretty shallow, and my skin would pull over the ends of the implant when I twisted my arm in certain ways. It didn't hurt, I was just aware of it. But I've also got weird elbows that I can twist way farther than other people so maybe that had something to do with it as well. I posted once with a pic of how shallow it was when it came up before.
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Mar 30, 2012 22:42
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gabi posted:Warning! Incoming stressed out word vomit! It will be much easier than an IUD. They do numb your arm and check it a few times to make sure it's kicked in first. Also, your arm is above your head as you lay on the table and in that position you feel less to begin with. I told the nurse I was nervous so she made sure to put everything away from my line of vision, which also really helped. Overall, I could feel a tension, or a pulling like Anne was saying, but no pain at all. Then they wrap it up with a pressure bandage (which felt so nice). I kept mine on for a two days rather than one, so that helped as well. Really though, there is very little to no pain involved at all, and just general soreness in the arm for a few days. Afterward, I was actually laughing at myself for working myself into such a mess about it beforehand, it was way easier than what my imagination conjured.
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Apr 2, 2012 05:14
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Anne Whateley posted:Where do you guys live who had Implanon inserted via slits? I thought the norm was to use a big needle (with Implanon inside the barrel) to puncture and insert, then withdraw the needle and leave the implant behind. Doctors have to be trained before they can insert Implanon, so I figured it would be a standardized procedure. They used a scalpel to cut a tiny incision to insert the needle into when I got mine put in. They did the same thing (tiny incision) and used what was basically a set of medical pliers to slowly pull it out when I got it removed. I was under the impression that because the needle they use to insert it with is a "U" that holds the implant, it is easier to insert if there already a hole to slide it into. Otherwise, if you tilt the needle at all during insertion, the implant can fall out. My two scars, which are slightly spaced out from each other, measure slightly less than 3/8" end-to-end, so it's not big at all. PP in Westminster, CA is where I got mine done.
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Apr 3, 2012 00:49
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Unless you track your cycle and know when you ovulate, I would still take a plan b. Many women have irregular cycles, or cycles that are longer or shorter than the "average 28 day cycle" bullshit the pill led us to believe is the norm. You only ovulate two weeks into your cycle if it's 28 days long. If you vary at all, so does the timing of your ovulation. I agree it's not common to get pregnant on your period, but just to say "I have no reason to believe I will" is faulty logic imo.
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Apr 4, 2012 18:02
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Don't be surprised if you start late, but since you didn't experience any side effects while taking it, you may not get any when your period starts either. There's no way to know what to expect. The only thing I can really say is your period may not be normal this cycle, but afterward it should be.
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Apr 8, 2012 19:53
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Bollock Monkey posted:I am a spaz and got my days wrong - I thought it was Saturday because I'd been out and about all day, but in fact it was Friday. I realised this immediately after taking a pill I thought I'd missed on top of the one for that evening. I know what to do if you're late with a pill, but what if it's too early? I just skip today's, right? It's Microgynon so I know I'm not going to get pregnant or anything, I just wanted reassurance that skipping today, rather than dosing again, would be the sensible thing to do. Yes, if you have taken one pill today, wait and take another tomorrow. You should not take two in one day unless you missed a pill.
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Apr 21, 2012 16:51
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Bollock Monkey posted:Maybe I explained badly - I took two last night because I thought I'd missed one. But I hadn't. Taking today's on top of them seems like a silly idea? DRP Solved! posted:Take one today and continue as if nothing had happened. Ah, ok. I agree with DRP then.
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Apr 22, 2012 02:00
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Joonami posted:Also, Skywriter, that is the PP sliding scale price for me. Apparently making ~$800/mo and my boyfriend making $1200 a month = I pay $400 even though we generally keep our finances separate. I probably shouldn't have written down what he gets paid, but have since asked him to chip in for the implant and he has no issues doing that, so. PP is only supposed to count your partners income if you are married. I once filled in my partners info and they asked me to clarify that we were married. When I said we were not, they crossed him off my paper, even though we live together and it says "household income."
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Apr 23, 2012 17:52
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RazorBunny posted:Also, I've been off the pill for a few months now, and my period still hasn't settled down. I was regular like a clock before I went on the pill. It was a very short cycle (21 days) but it was totally regular. So far I've had 26 days, 34 days, 28 days, 38 days, 24 days...the yo-yo thing is really annoying. I was under the impression that your cycle normally went back to how it was before the pill, so I'm a little frustrated that it still hasn't evened out. Were you regular before you started? Also your cycle (length) can change over time, so it may be settling into something new. It was also my impression that coming to a regular cycle again could take a year, but your fertility comes back pretty much immediately. Then again, I've never been regular (off of bc) nor stopped since I started, so take that how you like.
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Apr 27, 2012 04:58
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DeADHeaD posted:The tattoo thing I'm not really sure about...I don't know whether that falls within the realm of reckless behavior people might engage in because of wacky hormones. What about the rest of the stuff? Does it sound like behavior that might result from going off birth control? Is it going to dissipate? Is she going to be more sensitive to me again? It's very difficult for me to be objective about this because I know I am stressed and distorting things as well. I don't know what you think about hormones, but hormones do not make people do this poo poo. None of this would result from going on or off of birth control.
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May 3, 2012 07:06
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DeADHeaD posted:On an unrelated note, Reformed Tomboy, this is funny to me: Just over six years ago (I just checked the date on the PM) I was asking you for advice about having sex for the first time. And now six years later you're still giving me sex advice. Ha ha ha. That's awesome. I've not been shy about posting about sex here, that's for sure. I hope it's helped  Good luck, once you do decide to sort through that all.
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May 3, 2012 08:07
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gabi posted:Quick question about implanon after care. When they say to keep it clean and dry, but also not to rub the area, how on earth do I wash the iodine off without rubbing it? Should I leave it alone for another couple of days, shower like normal and just pat the area dry? They're more trying to get you to be aware that your arm is healing. You can rub, but gently. Your skin came away from the muscle in your arm to have a device shoved in. Rubbing vigorously will not only be painful, but also may slow healing. Go gently, or just let it come off on its own, it's only iodine.
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May 9, 2012 05:17
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in_cahoots posted:I've already resigned myself to having a messed-up period following a 2-week+28 day cycle, but should I be using another form of contraception as well? I'm pretty sure you'll be okay. It makes sense to me that you would not need a backup. I was going to warn you about a messed up cycle, but you already know 
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May 18, 2012 19:26
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Min_sora posted:Background: Was on the depo injection for 5ish years until last November, came off it and started using only condoms. First, a few questions. Why did you stop the shot if you were only going to go back on it again? Or did you decide to go on it again because your period was heavy? Because it can take a while for your body to adjust to its own natural levels of hormones, it is not usually a wise thing to start and stop birth control. It is far better to remain on it as long as you're going to, and swapping types back-to-back with your old method verses stopping it completely and starting it again. Which makes me confused why you're going back on it. Yes, what you are experiencing is perfectly normal for coming off birth control. Especially a method like the shot that stops (or can stop) your periods. You body is now freaking out that its source of hormones is suddenly gone, and it takes time for it to realize it has its own to work with. You will likely have irregular periods for a few months/cycles. Also, since you will be on the pill, you will also be adjusting to that type of pill for the three months, and then swapping to another type, so you'll have to adjust again. Another thing to keep in mind is that going back on a type you've been on before (like you and the shot) is that your side effects may not be the same as the first time you were on it. In other words, it is possible that you will have periods this time around. Or not. You won't know until you try it, and they're not guaranteed to be the same. Sorry this got kind of long, and I don't mean to freak you out. I'm just confused why you'd stop and start, and doctors never seem to tell people this stuff.
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May 26, 2012 19:44
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Min_sora posted:I understand that my cycle would become irregular, but is it possible that it's just going to bleed non-stop with no breaks? Because that's what scares me the most. I'm 2 weeks into a period and I can't take much more, it's so painful and horrible. Ok, that makes a lot more sense. Once you start on the pills your period should become regulated, but because it takes three months to adjust to a pill it may take that long to become normal again, and there is no way to tell before you try it. The best thing you can do is either hold out until you can get your shot again, or ask to be put on different pills if it's really that bad.
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May 27, 2012 17:35
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Hanky Church posted:Sorry, that would be a helpful piece of information, wouldn't it? It's a pill form called Nortrel (1/35, since that apparently makes a difference). The only info I was able to find out about it is that's a triphasic pill. You might want to get on a monophasic pill instead. The only time I was on a triphasic pill, I had worse periods than I normally do and had to swap off it immediately. More or higher doses of hormones should not be how a doctor attempts to eliminate side effects as the opposite can occur. There is no reason to be taking more hormones than are necessary. It concerned me some that I was unable to find a product website, a break down of what hormones are in the pills, or what dosages. Most pills have a website for those who are on it to check for questions like this, and that they don't have one is weird. As to if you should stay on it, that is ultimately up to you. If it were me, I would wonder what was causing my periods to be so heavy, and go from there about treatment (pill or otherwise). But since you need to be on the pill anyway, getting on one that works for you is tied in with that. Can you live with the heavy bleeding? For three months? For longer? If it doesn't stop, and the answers to those questions are no, get on a different pill. Edit: The 1/35 did matter, thank you for putting that in. I found much more on it once I added that in my search. I still think that it's a high dosage pill and may not be necessary, though the type of Nortel you're on does not appear to be triphasic. Reformed Tomboy fucked around with this message at 20:40 on Jun 5, 2012 |
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Jun 5, 2012 20:37
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Geolicious posted:....since I can't find someone to do a ligation. Remind me again, is there a reason your man can't get a vasectomy? Or do you need to be on birth control for something else? A guy getting snipped is way easier than a woman, and that's not even going into the ease of a vasectomy compared to a tubal ligation.
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Jun 6, 2012 22:39
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Geolicious posted:I also just REALLLLLLLY don't want kids, just at all, ever. I know, really know, that motherhood is NOT for me. I love my career and having my life to myself. I know I am a selfish person. Having a kid would just be the worst for me. I just wanted to point out not wanting to have kids does not make one a selfish person, and it's really messed up that our society makes it seem that way.
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Jun 8, 2012 17:49
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Tig Ol Bitties posted:The sources I've read said that I have too many hormones in my system right now, and taking it out for four days with allow those to relax. That doesn't sound right, but I wanted to know if anyone in here could verify. I'll just leave it in and hope it goes away. Thanks! I'll verify that it's not right. Do not take it out for four days mid cycle; that defeats the purpose of using birth control. Spotting can randomly happen, even after 2+ years on the same type.
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Jun 14, 2012 18:44
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Chinaman7000 posted:She was finishing and starting a new pack of her pills, but stopped after two days because she started feeling awful. She was on bc for a month (or two?), then stopped? Yes, all the bleeding is totally normal. When you mess with your body's hormones it reacts. Birth control pills help regulate your hormones, so when she went off them, her body reacted. The bleeding is normal, and her cycle may be irregular (time wise, and bleeding wise) for a few cycles. I'm also not sure how she got on the pills in the first place if she isn't going to a gyno though, that is a little worrisome.
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Jul 1, 2012 19:04
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Nope, you shouldn't be worried yet. If you continue to bleed after you finish this pack (one full cycle from the mistake), then I'd be a little worried.
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Jul 4, 2012 22:57
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You'd be missing today (one day) and tomorrow (two day) if you got a new one on Monday. Take a plan b as soon as you can if/once you find out the soonest you can get a new ring is Monday. Once you miss two or more days you need to use a backup. And the backup for a very recent past event is a plan b. If you can get a new ring today or tomorrow you're fine because that'd mean you only missed one day. Call around now, and figure out what you can about getting a new one. Once you do, go from there. Good luck.
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Jul 15, 2012 00:53
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Ah! That's right. I forgot the ring is technically good for four weeks. Worked out okay after all
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Jul 15, 2012 05:18
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Take the first pill of the new pack when you get it. You'll then be a [day of the week here] start instead of whatever you were before. You'll be protected, but keep in mind you may experience breakthrough bleeding/spotting because of the stacked packs.
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Jul 18, 2012 03:32
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| # ¿ May 9, 2024 04:37 |
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Tshirt Ninja posted:1. Should I just keep taking the rest of my pack normally and see whether I get a period during the placebo pills? 1. Yes, if you wish to remain on birth control. 2. Not great, yet. Wait until you've taken 14 pills (two weeks). Since you didn't start during your period you have to wait longer for it to become effective and to make sure you hadn't already ovulated. 3. No. It's likely unrelated. I suggest drinking more water, that's usually my problem with headaches anyway. Do keep track of them to see if they happen around when you take your pill, or if they only happen on certain days of your packs (once you've been on it long enough to see a pattern), because that would be cause for concern.
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Aug 1, 2012 01:54
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